THE ARBOR ON THE HILL. 225

me a hand at my need. And I remember now what my mother has told me, namely,
‘That the way to heaven is as up a ladder, and the way to hell is as down a hill.’
But I rather go up the ladder to life, than down the hill to death.”

Then said Mercy, “ But the proverb is, ‘To go down the hill is easy.’ ”’

But James said (for that was his name), “The day is coming when, in my opinion,
going down-hill will be the hardest of all.”

“‘That’s a good boy,” said his master; “thou hast given her a right answer.”

Then Mercy smiled, but the little boy did blush.

Cur. “Come,” said Christiana, “will you eat a bit, a little to sweeten your mouths,
while you sit here to rest your legs? for I have here a piece of pomegranate, which
Mr. Interpreter put in my hand just when I came out of his doors: he gave me also a
piece of a honeycomb, and a little bottle of spirits.”

“T thought he gave you something,” said Mercy, “because he called you aside.”

“Yes, so he did, said the other; “but, Mercy, it shall still be as I said it should,
when at first we came from home; thou shalt be a sharer in all the good that I have,
because thou so willingly didst become my companion.”

Then she gave to them, and they did eat, both Mercy and the boys. And said
Christiana to Mr. Great-heart, “Sir, will you do as we?”

But he answered, “ You are going on pilgrimage, and presently I shall return:
much good may what you have do to you: at home I eat the same every day.”

Now, when they had eaten and drunk, and had chatted a little longer, their guide
said to them, “The day wears away; if you think good, let us prepare to be going.”
So they got up to go, and the little boys went before; but Christiana forgat to take
her bottle of spirits with her, so she sent her little boy back to fetch it.

Then said Mercy, “I think this is a losing place: here Christian lost. his roll, and
here Christiana left her bottle behind her. Sir, what is the cause of this?”

So their guide made answer, and said, “ The cause is sleep or forgetfulness: some
sleep when they should keep awake, and some forget when they should remember.
And this is the very cause why often at the resting-places some pilgrims, in some
things, comé off losers. Pilgrims should watch, and remember what they have already
received, under their greatest enjoyments; but, for want of doing so, ofttimes their
rejoicing ends in tears, and their sunshine in a cloud: witness the story of Christian.
at this place.”

When they were come to the place where Mistrust and Timorous met Christian, to
persuade him to go back for fear of the lions, they perceived as it were a stage, and

before it, towards the road, a broad plate, with a copy of verses written thereon, and
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